Army Hazing

This is my response to a story I read on the Killeen Daily Heralds website:

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=65836

Hazing, Verb: Force (a new or potential recruit to the military, a college fraternity, etc.) to perform strenuous, humiliating or dangerous tasks.

Where does that say hazing is forcibly removing and then penetrating another human being with fingers or other items?

You don’t see it there because that already has a term, and that term is sexual assault.

We tell our sons and daughters that being a Soldier is an honorable profession, where you will forever have pride in knowing that you were one of the few to serve this nation.  You will be one of the few who stood up for something bigger than yourself.  The memories you make in the military will last a lifetime.  As a former Soldier, with two tours in Iraq, I know these feelings. 

I wonder if anyone told SPC Wright that his memories of the military would haunt him at night?

We send our men and women of the military to fight a common enemy.  Unfortunately that common enemy is becoming the man or woman standing in the ranks next to them.  Sexual assault in the military continues to increase and I wonder why.

Perhaps it is because in the military, acts like the one that happened to SPC Wright and his fellow Soldiers, are being categorized as hazing and not the correct term, sexual assault.

Perhaps the military does not see a decrease in sexual assaults because you can sexually assault someone and only receive 2 years confinement.

Perhaps the military does not see a decrease in sexual assaults because you can participate in a sexual assault and only receive a reduction in rank and 120 days confinement.  Let us also not forget that this “soldier” gets to stay in a profession that is supposed to be filled with men and women of honor and integrity.  I hope, now PFC Cornell, enjoys his pay and benefits that our tax dollars fund.  What an outrage that you and I pay the salary of a person who committed sexual misconduct.

Perhaps it is because you can sexually assault another Soldier and never have to register as a sex offender.

Perhaps it is because the military does not ensure the punishment fits the crime.

Perhaps it’s time they start.